I dont think they were calling your DEFENSE pretenders, but the TEAM a pretender team to make the playoffs. I also bet they popinted SQUARELY at your offense in that belief. Are they right? WHO CARES enjoy the ride, because you never know WHEN it will end and ignore the talking heads.. they been calling the Pats demise for years.. SO PARTY ON!!

Actually, this is going along with what Pete Carroll has been planning. He knows his young defense is good, but that they need constant fuel to take their game to the very top.

So he designed an offense that will keep games close, losing a couple here and there, in order to throw the national media off of our bandwagon any time they get the feeling they might want to jump on. So the talking heads will continually dismiss our team, giving the defense bulletin board material.

As evidence, we were getting too much hype coming out of the preseason, so Carroll instructed Wilson to throw the Arizona game. Wilson, being the perfectionist he is, did it so well that it's had the media doubting the team ever since.

The only time it got close was the miracle win over Green Bay. Tate was actually supposed to drop that Hail Mary "on accident" but the Packers defender actually knocked it into Tate's hands and then pinned Tate's hands against the ball, forcing the TD catch. That wrestling match you saw at the end of the game was Tate trying to pull his HANDS away, not the ball.

So Pete had the offense go out and dump the Rams game just to throw the media off our scent again. Then the slight improvement just enough to win the Panthers game (which is how Pete wants to play it... continual "improvement" from the offense that just wins us games, keeping scores close enough that no talking heads get wise to how dominant the team really is).

Carroll knows that if all the talking heads saw what the Seahawks can really do and started talking them up, the defense might rest on its laurels a bit (since it's still quite young) and not maintain that hunger. So he's like the puppetmaster, stringing everyone along on his brilliant scheme.

For anyone wondering why it matters what the national media says about us....

1. National perception affects interest, which affects scheduling. We want to be seen more on MNF, SNF, and TNF. This is why high-profile teams like the Cowboys, Packers, and Eagles are CONSTANTLY featured each week on nationally televised games.

2. Free agents DO sometimes get to choose where they go. It's not as bad as baseball, but sometimes there are FA's out there that may not want to play for a team like Seattle, where they won't be recognized as much (and get the high profile endorsements). This also could include members of the coaching staff, as well as advertisers.

3. Conspiracies be damned, I honestly believe that the more popular teams DO get more favorable calls and non-calls from officiating crews. Not because of some elaborate conspiracy or gambling ring, but because of innate pressure to appease the masses. Bill Leavy never purposefully tried to make bad calls to help the Steelers in Super Bowl XL - he was just the inept victim of the media frenzy surrounding the non-story of Bettis returning to Detroit, and the fact that the country's PERCEPTION of the Steelers was as a Super Bowl Champion, while Seattle was seen as a Cinderella finesse flash-in-the-pan.

djb28 wrote:We aren't any worse off than the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl, on Defense alone. Because that offense they had couldn't put more than 14 on the board. But they call that team great!

WHAT!?!?! Are you comparing your D to probably the GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?! really?? I mean your D is good but lets not get cocky about it, because the day someone drops 40 on you (and it will happen) I dont want people having to talk you off the ledge!

djb28 wrote:We aren't any worse off than the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl, on Defense alone. Because that offense they had couldn't put more than 14 on the board. But they call that team great!

WHAT!?!?! Are you comparing your D to probably the GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?! really?? I mean your D is good but lets not get cocky about it, because the day someone drops 40 on you (and it will happen) I dont want people having to talk you off the ledge!

djb28 wrote:We aren't any worse off than the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl, on Defense alone. Because that offense they had couldn't put more than 14 on the board. But they call that team great!

WHAT!?!?! Are you comparing your D to probably the GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?! really?? I mean your D is good but lets not get cocky about it, because the day someone drops 40 on you (and it will happen) I dont want people having to talk you off the ledge!

He is comparing us to a team that was the #1 D in the league with a very pedestrian offense and found success.

djb28 wrote:We aren't any worse off than the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl, on Defense alone. Because that offense they had couldn't put more than 14 on the board. But they call that team great!

WHAT!?!?! Are you comparing your D to probably the GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?! really?? I mean your D is good but lets not get cocky about it, because the day someone drops 40 on you (and it will happen) I dont want people having to talk you off the ledge!

Ahem. In Week 2 of that season, the Jaguars dropped 36 on that "GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?!" in Baltimore's own house.

I'm not saying that we have a defense on that same exact level, but we're constructed much like that Ravens team was. Outstanding D, strong run game, huge questions in the passing game. And that team still found a way to win it all. Who's to say it can't happen again?

djb28 wrote:We aren't any worse off than the Ravens team that won the Super Bowl, on Defense alone. Because that offense they had couldn't put more than 14 on the board. But they call that team great!

WHAT!?!?! Are you comparing your D to probably the GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?! really?? I mean your D is good but lets not get cocky about it, because the day someone drops 40 on you (and it will happen) I dont want people having to talk you off the ledge!

Ahem. In Week 2 of that season, the Jaguars dropped 36 on that "GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?!" in Baltimore's own house.

I'm not saying that we have a defense on that same exact level, but we're constructed much like that Ravens team was. Outstanding D, strong run game, huge questions in the passing game. And that team still found a way to win it all. Who's to say it can't happen again?

Why can't it happen again? have you seen theRULE CHANGES since then? They are pretty much making CB curtsey before they hit the WR anand hitting the passer is from the waiste to the shoulders ANYWHERE else is a 15 yrd penalty. My friend this is an O driven league now, you have to have a good (Not great) O see NY, Giants. a sub par like the Ravens had that year will not work in this league.

WHAT!?!?! Are you comparing your D to probably the GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?! really?? I mean your D is good but lets not get cocky about it, because the day someone drops 40 on you (and it will happen) I dont want people having to talk you off the ledge!

Ahem. In Week 2 of that season, the Jaguars dropped 36 on that "GREATEST D in the last 30 years!?!?!" in Baltimore's own house.

I'm not saying that we have a defense on that same exact level, but we're constructed much like that Ravens team was. Outstanding D, strong run game, huge questions in the passing game. And that team still found a way to win it all. Who's to say it can't happen again?

Why can't it happen again? have you seen theRULE CHANGES since then? They are pretty much making CB curtsey before they hit the WR anand hitting the passer is from the waiste to the shoulders ANYWHERE else is a 15 yrd penalty. My friend this is an O driven league now, you have to have a good (Not great) O see NY, Giants. a sub par like the Ravens had that year will not work in this league.

Dude, this has been an offense-driven league since 1984 at the VERY least. Let's not pretend that all of the offensive changes have happened in the last couple of seasons.

You need an offense that is capable and efficient. It doesn't have to be explosive or dominant. What's more important than the ranking of your offense or defense is how they play at the end of the season. If you can come into the last 6 or so games of the season with a record around .500 and then get hot, that's a blueprint for a deep playoff run, dominant offense or no.

Think about the '06 Colts. Indy was long known for high-powered offense, but their only SB run came when they managed to turn on the D and let Rhodes and Addai carry most of the load.

Marshall Faulk is the biggest blowhard hater of them all. He loathes the Patriots as he still hasn't gotten over having his ass handed to him in the Rams SB. The sports media isn't about valid view points, they're about saying dumbshit to stir up controversy and page views. Win or lose, I hope the Seahawks channel the disrespect into a weapon.

WhatsYourDeal wrote:well its true. they are pretenders. the D is pretty good but not #1 caliber

solid analysis that backs up your point, especially since all league stats are made up. i'm interested to see your opinion on stadium parking.

Jets were #1 offense a few weeks ago.hows that for backing up my point?

you're point? you have no "point". There can always be an argument between stats to say which team is number one, but anyone who says our defense isn't a top defense for real is either extremely football stupid or extremely bias or in the case of this forum just a....

“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”

Were they saying that the defense is a pretender, or that the team as a whole is a pretender? There is no reasonable argument that this is not a legit defense, but the team as a whole I can see. Right now the hawks are last in the division and not even in the playoffs and the offense stinks. Until the offense steps up, I don't think you can expect wild playoff success out of this team.

you're point? you have no "point". There can always be an argument between stats to say which team is number one, but anyone who says our defense isn't a top defense for real is either extremely football stupid or extremely bias or in the case of this forum just a....

Thats your opinion.My point is anyone can have the #1 offense or defense early in the season.

Come talk to me week 12 if the Hawks might have a top 10 D come that time but top 3 Dont see it.Hag fans are really excited to be ranked high in a category before the trade deadline lol. Be realistic even the bills were 5-0 was it last year or the year before.

rpmischris wrote:LOL what a freaking joke. In their contender or pretender segment, they unanimously listed us as pretenders. UHH If the 49ers had the number 1 def it would be an absolute love fest for them . Why do I bother watching ESPN or NFL network?

Your thread title is misleading.

They called the Hawks pretenders, not the defense.............as in until our offense can score more than 17 points a game, we will be pretenders. This isn't 1962, we can't be considered a contender until our offense steps it up.

rpmischris wrote:LOL what a freaking joke. In their contender or pretender segment, they unanimously listed us as pretenders. UHH If the 49ers had the number 1 def it would be an absolute love fest for them . Why do I bother watching ESPN or NFL network?

Your thread title is misleading.

They called the Hawks pretenders, not the defense.............as in until our offense can score more than 17 points a game, we will be pretenders. This isn't 1962, we can't be considered a contender until our offense steps it up.

You are out of your gourd. Year 3 of a complete rebuild is certainly not pretending. Offenses take longer to get good as opposed to defenses, unless you have a 13 year veteran future hall of fame QB in place.

Our offense is definitely getting better by the week. Pretty easy to see it.

rpmischris wrote:LOL what a freaking joke. In their contender or pretender segment, they unanimously listed us as pretenders. UHH If the 49ers had the number 1 def it would be an absolute love fest for them . Why do I bother watching ESPN or NFL network?

Your thread title is misleading.

They called the Hawks pretenders, not the defense.............as in until our offense can score more than 17 points a game, we will be pretenders. This isn't 1962, we can't be considered a contender until our offense steps it up.

You are out of your gourd. Year 3 of a complete rebuild is certainly not pretending. Offenses take longer to get good as opposed to defenses, unless you have a 13 year veteran future hall of fame QB in place.

Our offense is definitely getting better by the week. Pretty easy to see it.

We're talking about two different things.

You're talking about where we are as a team, and I agree in year #3 of a total rebuild we're in good shape. But this thread is in regards to the NFL network calling the Hawks a pretender for making a playoff run. In this regard you're out of your gourd if you think the way our offense is playing is good enough to make a playoff run........thus "pretender."

Largent80 wrote:You are out of your gourd. Year 3 of a complete rebuild is certainly not pretending. Offenses take longer to get good as opposed to defenses, unless you have a 13 year veteran future hall of fame QB in place.

Our offense is definitely getting better by the week. Pretty easy to see it.

Greatly disagree. Maybe in the past, not anymore. The rules are so catered to the offense now that it's typically easier to improve on that side than the defensive side.

I'm not as optimistic as you are about the offense. They haven't shown any improvement in the red zone, and they just faced one of the worst defenses in football. We're still 31st passing the ball (abysmal) and still way way too reliant on the defense.

I know we as fans hate to see the team written off with the 2nd overall defense in football right now.. but the offense is a real concern going forward. If they keep up this pace, the defense is inevitably going to break down and the season will be a waste.

We need better play from the O. Period. Whether or not the problem is Bevell, Wilson, the OL, the WR's.. it needs to improve ASAP.

Largent80 wrote:Weekly progress is quite evident offensively. How would that make me out of my gourd to think that by the end of the season it will not be highly efficient?

Again, the thread is about the NFL network calling us a pretender NOW, not what our offense will do at the end of the year. That's total speculation.

I'm glad you're optimistic, but the fact is right now the offense is not very good.......and developing a rookie QB can take years. So even if Wilson improves, it's more likely to be baby steps, not the big steps needed to make a playoff run.......if make the playoffs at all.

Largent80 wrote:You are out of your gourd. Year 3 of a complete rebuild is certainly not pretending. Offenses take longer to get good as opposed to defenses, unless you have a 13 year veteran future hall of fame QB in place.

Our offense is definitely getting better by the week. Pretty easy to see it.

Greatly disagree. Maybe in the past, not anymore. The rules are so catered to the offense now that it's typically easier to improve on that side than the defensive side.

My turn to greatly disagree with you. Whether or not the rules cater to the offense, offenses are often based on all 11 guys working together seamlessly, developing chemistry, timing, etc. Those things take time to develop. That's why you regularly see teams do well when their O-line starts 16 games together without losing players to injury. That unit works best when it has time to gel. Same goes for QBs and receivers.

That Ravens D when they won the Super Bowl was awesome. I'd put the Tampa Bay D that won the Superbowl with Trent Dild--er, Dilfer, at quarterback, right there with them as every bit as elite. Both D's basically manhandled every offense they faced in the playoffs and carried the day in the Super Bowl. I recall Tampa Bay basically shutting down Kurt Warner as well in an NFC Championship game but losing because their offense couldn't score, and Warner managed a late TD to win and put the Rams in the Super Bowl, with the TD to an ex-Seahawk no less.